PRINCETON JUNCTION, N.J., Nov. 6, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Smart Card Alliance invites its members to a comprehensive industry conference on December 8-10 at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Fla. An event designed specifically for Smart Card Alliance members, the three-day conference will feature special keynote speakers, panel discussions, in-depth breakout sessions organized by the Alliance Industry Councils, as well as networking and social events.

"This meeting is a great opportunity for Smart Card Alliance members across mobile, payments, transportation, retail, identity and health and human services industries to get a broad perspective on the state of smart card technology in the Americas, as well as engage with peers in cross-industry discussions on critical technologies and applications affecting the industry," said Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the Smart Card Alliance.

Agenda highlights include:

"Payments: EMV Status & Challenges." This panel will present the EMV migration path that the U.S. is taking from the perspective of the EMV Migration Forum representing the global brands, issuers, merchants, processors, and industry suppliers.

"Identity: The NSTIC Approach to Managing Identities and Securing Cyberspace." This session will examine the progress of the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace in bringing government and private industry together to address how digital credentials can be created by multiple providers and be shared and trusted across multiple relying parties for securing services in the physical world and the cloud.

"Transit Open Payments and Mobile Ticketing Initiatives." In this roundtable, leading transportation agencies who are adopting contactless open bank cards and mobile ticketing for fare payment will share lessons learned.

"Biometrics: State of the Industry and Use with Smart Cards and Mobile." This session will look at the key factors driving the expansion of use of biometrics, the privacy considerations for different biometric modalities and practical application of biometrics in mobile and smart card environments.

"Mobile Payments: Alternative Approaches to Mobile Commerce." This session will present alternative approaches to mobile payments and highlight the unique features each hopes will earn its place at the top of the mobile payments solutions pyramid.

"Latin America - Payments Council (SCALA): The Perspective of the Financial Networks." The Latin American payment networks will discuss the needs of the Latin America & Caribbean markets to revolutionize the means of payment.

The Smart Card Alliance will honor individuals and member organizations at a special reception on the evening of Dec. 9. Awards include the Top Council Contributor Awards and the Council Honor Roll. The Alliance is also launching a new program this year, the Center of Excellence designation. This new program recognizes member companies that reach the highest level of active participation in the Smart Card Alliance.

The Smart Card Alliance is a not-for-profit, multi-industry association working to stimulate the understanding, adoption, use and widespread application of smart card technology.

Through specific projects such as education programs, market research, advocacy, industry relations and open forums, the Alliance keeps its members connected to industry leaders and innovative thought. The Alliance is the single industry voice for smart cards, leading industry discussion on the impact and value of smart cards in the U.S. and Latin America. For more information please visit http://www.smartcardalliance.org.